Govt forms panel to probe plane crash

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 25: The government has formed a five-member probe commission to investigate the Saurya Airlines plane crash. 

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held in Singha Durbar on Wednesday evening decided to form the probe commission, according to Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung. 

The commission, chaired by Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, consists of five members. The other members include Captain Dipu Jwarchan from Nepal Airlines Corporation, Prof. Kuldeep Bhattarai from Pulchowk Engineering Campus and Sanjay Adhikari.

Mukesh Dangol, an Air Traffic Control Officer from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, is the member secretary, said Minister Gurung. 

 The Cabinet meeting also decided to lower the national flag to half-mast to mourn the plane crash. Suman is the former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, said, the commission will identify the causes of the crash and present a report with suggestions to prevent such accidents in the future. The committee has been given a 45-day deadline to investigate and present its report to the government, said Minister Gurung.

The government expressed condolences to the deceased in the crash and wished for the speedy recovery of injured Captain Manish Ratna Shakya.

Minister Chaudhary to attend Paris Olympics 

Meanwhile, the meeting of the Council of Ministers has endorsed the visit of Minister for Youth and Sports Teju Lal Chaudhary to participate in the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics to be held in Paris of France from July 26 to August 11. 

Speaking at a press conference organised to make the decisions of the cabinet meeting held on July 22 public on Wednesday, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung said that the cabinet endorsed the France visit of the Sports Minister from July 25 to 27. 

Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, said the government appointed Joint Secretary Mahadev Panth as chief secretary of the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Minister of Lubmini Province. 

The Cabinet meeting also endorsed the visit of Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari to New Delhi, India, to participate in the BIMSTEC Business Conclave to be held there from August 6 to 8. 

The government has decided to form a dialogue team led by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance to accept grant assistance of 12 million USD to implement the ‘Prosperity for Forest Project’ to be provided by the World Bank.